Welcome to this One-Shot, where today I just wanted to note all the places and times that the Doctor and his companions have been visited on-screen from the 2005 revival up to (and including) Series 14 of 2024. I decided I’ll share a few thoughts on each series in regard to which of the time zones had stories I liked best. Even though I’ve definitely missed a few places or times off, despite my best efforts not to, there’s still plenty to ponder- allons-y!
RTD ERA: Series 1 (2005)
Episode 1 – Rose (Earth) (PD)
Episode 2 – The End of the World (Earth/Space station above Earth) (PD/5 billion AD)
Episode 3 – The Unquiet Dead (Earth) (1869 AD)
Episodes 4/5 – Aliens of London/World War Three (Earth) (PD)
Episode 6 – Dalek (Earth) (2012 AD)
Episode 7 – The Long Game (Earth/Satellite 5) (PD/200,000 AD)
Episode 8 – Father’s Day (Earth) (1987 AD/PD)
Episodes 9/10 – The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances (Earth/Jack’s Spaceship) (1941 AD)
Episode 11 – Boom Town (Earth) (PD)
Episodes 12/13 – Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways (Earth/Satellite 5) (PD/200,100 AD)
Christmas Special – The Christmas Invasion (Earth) (PD)
It turns out that Series 1 doesn’t feature a single visit to an alien planet, at least not that we see on-screen. Fun fact, as far as I’m aware Rose’s first visit to an alien planet takes place in the BBC novel The Monsters Inside, I’d recommend giving it a read. Anyway, I still think there’s a good mix of past, present and future in Series 1, with none of the three dominating over the other, and for me it’s a hard tossup between the past or future episodes being my favourite.
RTD ERA: Series 2 (2006)
Episode 1 – New Earth (New Earth) (5 billion AD)
Episode 2 – Tooth and Claw (Earth) (1879 AD)
Episode 3 – School Reunion (Earth) (PD)
Episode 4 – The Girl in the Fireplace (Earth/SS Madame de Pompadour) (18th/51st century)
Episodes 5/6 – Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel (Parallel Earth) (PD)
Episode 7 – The Idiot’s Lantern (Earth) (1953 AD)
Episodes 8/9 – The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit (Alien planet orbiting black hole) (F)
Episode 10 – Love and Monsters (Earth) (P/PD)
Episode 11 – Fear Her (Earth) (2012 AD)
Episodes 12/13 – Army of Ghosts/Doomsday (Earth/Parallel Earth) (PD)
Christmas Special – The Runaway Bride (Earth/Earth atmosphere) (4.5 Billion BC/PD)
Would you believe it, there’s only ONE alien planet in Series 2, ok technically two if you count the planet orbiting the black hole, but that’s devoid of life and I always thought it was an asteroid anyway. Still, as with Series 1 there’s a decent mix of the three time zones, though Series 2 definitely leans more towards present-day or the near-future. As it happens, my favourite two of the series are two of the only ones set in the future. But there we go.
RTD ERA: Series 3 (2007)
Episode 1 – Smith and Jones (Earth/The Moon) (PD)
Episode 2 – The Shakespeare Code (Earth) (1599 AD)
Episode 3 – Gridlock (New Earth) (5 billion AD)
Episodes 4/5 – Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks (Earth) (1930 AD)
Episode 6 – The Lazarus Experiment (Earth) (PD)
Episode 7 – 42 (Earth/Mining ship in space) (PD/F)
Episodes 8/9 – Human Nature/The Family of Blood (Earth) (1913 AD/WW1/PD)
Episode 10 – Blink (Earth) (1969 AD/PD)
Episodes 11/12/13 – Utopia/The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords (Earth/Planet Malcassairo) (PD/100 trillion AD)
Christmas Special – Voyage of the Damned (Earth/HMS Titanic space ship) (PD)
Steady on now RTD, you’ve given us TWO alien planets AND the moon? What a madman. What an absolute MADMAN. There’s a fairly even mix of past and present-day shenanigans going on in Series 3, with some future stuff here and there. I think on reflection, my favourite episodes of this series all take place in the past, as opposed to the future ones of Series 2. I guess it shows a cracking story can be the major player, not necessarily a far-flung future of technology and wonder (which the episodes set in the past still play in to).
RTD Era: Series 4 (2008)
Episode 1 – Partners in Crime (Earth) (PD)
Episode 2 – The Fires of Pompeii (Earth) (79 AD)
Episode 3 – Planet of the Ood (Ood-Sphere planet) (4126 AD)
Episodes 4/5 – The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky (Earth/Sontaran battle ship) (PD)
Episode 6 – The Doctor’s Daughter (Earth/Planet Messaline) (PD/F)
Episode 7 – The Unicorn and the Wasp (Earth) (1926 AD)
Episodes 8/9 – Silence in the Library/The Forest of the Dead (The Library) (51st century)
Episode 10 – Midnight (Planet Midnight) (F)
Episodes 11/12/13 – Turn Left/The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End (The Crucible/Earth/The Medusa Cascade/The Shadow Proclamation) (PD)
Christmas Special – The Next Doctor (Earth) (1851 AD)
I don’t BELIEVE it, we get FIVE different alien planets in Series 4 (well, three and then the Crucible that’s the size of a small moon and the Shadow Proclamation which seems kind of like a planet in ways), and in fairness we see some of the other planets in the sky too. A fairly even split again between the three time zones, and if I had to pick for this series, I’d think the future episodes get my vote- though I do love The Unicorn and the Wasp.
RTD ERA: Season 4.5 (Final Specials) (2009/2010)
Special 1 – Planet of the Dead (Desert planet/Earth) (PD)
Special 2 – The Waters of Mars (Mars) (2008 AD/2059 AD)
Specials 3/4 – The End of Time Part One/Two (Alien bar/Earth/Ood Sphere Planet) (P/PD/4216 AD)
Would you believe it? All four of RTD’s final round of specials (until his return) feature an alien planet that we actually see our characters stand on. Truly, the end must be nigh. I think all these specials are fabulous, but I think The Waters of Mars is my favourite so the vote for favourite time zone here has to go to future.
MOFFAT ERA: Series 5 (2010)
Episode 1 – The Eleventh Hour (Earth) (1996 AD/PD)
Episode 2 – The Beast Below (Earth/Starship UK) (1940 AD/Future)
Episode 3 – Victory of the Daleks (Dalek ship/Earth/Earth atmosphere) (1940 AD)
Episodes 4/5 – The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone (Alfava Metraxis/The Byzantium/The Delirium Archive) (F)
Episode 6 – The Vampires of Venice (Earth) (1580 AD century/PD)
Episode 7 – Amy’s Choice (Earth/The TARDIS) (PD/NF)
Episodes 8/9 – The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood (Earth) (2020 AD)
Episode 10 – Vincent and the Doctor (Earth) (1890 AD/PD)
Episode 11 – The Lodger (Earth) (PD)
Episodes 12/13 – The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang (Earth/The Maldovarium/Planet One/Stormcage Facility 5145) (P/102 AD/1890 AD/1940 AD/PD/5145 AD)
Christmas Special – A Christmas Carol (Earth/Alien planet/Star liner) (20th Century/F)
Moffat starts of his first series not trying to fly us off to too many alien locales either, though I always felt this series has somewhat of a fairy tale aspect to it and I’ve always liked that. As with Series 1, a fairly even mix of time zones in this series, but I have to hand it to the past for having my favourite episodes of Series 5. Yes it’s Vincent and the Doctor, followed by Victory of the Daleks. V for Victory, as they say.
MOFFAT ERA: Series 6 (2011)
Episodes 1/2 – The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon (Earth) (1969/PD)
Episode 3 – The Curse of the Black Spot (Earth) (17th Century)
Episode 4 – The Doctor’s Wife (Asteroid outside of the universe/The TARDIS) (F)
Episodes 5/6 – The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People (Earth) (22nd Century)
Episode 7 – A Good Man Goes to War (Demon’s Run/Earth/Multiple alien locales) (P/F)
Episode 8 – Lets Kill Hitler (Earth) (1938/PD)
Episode 9 – Night Terrors (Earth) (PD)
Episode 10 – The Girl Who Waited (Planet Apalapucia) (F)
Episode 11 – The God Complex (Alien prison hotel/Earth) (F/PD)
Episode 12 – Closing Time (Earth) (PD)
Episode 13 – The Wedding of River Song (Earth/Multiple alien locales) (Mash up of time periods)
Christmas special – The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe (Alien forest/Earth) (1941 AD)
As seems to be the trend, the second series of a showrunner seems to have a few more alien locales for the audience to enjoy, and in fairness The God Complex may be my favourite episode of the series, but it’s a tough one as at least half of this series I think is really great. Still, I’ll give it to the future time zone for being my favourite, even though I do love pirates.
MOFFAT ERA: Series 7 (2012-2013)
Episode 1 – Asylum of the Daleks (Alien planet/Earth/Dalek asylum) (PD/F)
Episode 2 – Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (Earth/Alien spaceship) (P/PD/2367 AD)
Episode 3 – A Town Called Mercy (Earth) (19th Century)
Episode 4 – The Power of Three (Earth) (P/PD)
Episode 5 – The Angels Take Manhattan (Earth) (1938 AD/PD)
Episode 6 (Christmas Special) – The Snowmen (Earth) (1892)
Episode 7 – The Bells of Saint John (Earth) (1207 AD/PD)
Episode 8 – The Rings of Akhaten (Earth/Rings of Akhaten) (P/F)
Episode 9 – Cold War (Earth) (1983 AD)
Episode 10 – Hide (Earth/Pocket universe) (1974 AD)
Episode 11 – Journey to the Center of the TARDIS (Salvage ship/TARDIS) (F)
Episode 12 – The Crimson Horror (Earth) (1893 AD)
Episode 13 – Nightmare in Silver (Amusement park in space) (F)
Episode 14 – The Name of the Doctor (Earth/Planet Trenzalore) (P/1893 AD/PD/F)
50th Anniversary Special – The Day of the Doctor (Earth/Gallifrey) (1562 AD/PD/F)
Christmas Special – The Time of the Doctor Earth/Planet Trenzalore (PD/F)
Moffat decides to treat us all with his final Matt Smiths series by giving us an even spread of time zones, and Earth or Alien locales. I think this is my favourite Matt Smith series, especially when Clara jumps on board (Amy, and to a lesser extent Rory, just never clicked for me). All that said, I really couldn’t give one particular time zone my favourite vote here, it’s a close match between past and future, but even the present-day episodes are pretty great.
MOFFAT ERA: Series 8 (2014)
Episode 1 – Deep Breath (Earth) (19th Century/PD)
Episode 2 – Into the Dalek (Earth/Aristotle Spaceship/A Dalek) (PD/F)
Episode 3 – Robin of Sherwood (Earth) (1190 AD)
Episode 4 – Listen (Earth/End of the Universe/Gallifrey) (P/PD/F)
Episode 5 – Time Heist (Bank of Karabraxos/Earth) (PD/F)
Episode 6 – The Caretaker (Earth) (PD)
Episode 7 – Kill the Moon (Earth/Space shuttle/The Moon) (2049 AD)
Episode 8 – Mummy on the Orient Express (Orient Express space train) (F)
Episode 9 – Flatline (Earth) (PD)
Episode 10 – In the Forest of the Night (Earth) (PD)
Episodes 11/12 – Dark Water/Death in Heaven (Earth/The Nethersphere) (PD)
Christmas Special – Last Christmas (Earth) (PD/F)
Whilst my least favourite of the Capaldi series I think, I still enjoy it greatly. This would probably be due to the fact 12 is my favourite Doctor, even in this raw and unsteady form. There’s a decent mix of Earth and locations that aren’t necessarily alien planets (there are some) but locations not on Earth. As for my favourite time zone of Series 8, it has to be the future, three of my favourite episodes take place there, even if the final two-parter is also FANTASTIC.
MOFFAT ERA: Series 9 (2015/2016)
Episodes 1/2 – The Magician’s Apprentice/The Witches Familiar (Earth/Skaro) (1139 AD/PD/F)
Episodes 3/4 – Under the Lake/Before the Flood (Earth) (2119 AD)
Episodes 5/6 – The Girl Who Died/The Woman Who Lived (Earth/Mire spaceship) (P)
Episodes 7/8 – The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion (Earth) (PD)
Episode 9 – Sleep No More (Le Verrier space lab) (38th Century)
Episodes 10/11/12 – Face the Raven/Heaven Bent/Hell Sent (Earth/Confession Dial/Gallifrey) (P/PD/F)
Christmas Special – The Husbands of River Song (Planet Darillium/Harmony and Redemption starship/Mendorax Dellora colony) (5343AD) Christmas Special – The Return of Doctor Mysterio (Earth) (P/PD)
Despite a slight leaning towards Earth, there are some wonderful off-Earth locations in Series 9, and simply because I’m a huge fan of the opening two episodes (I liked how this series was largely two-parters) for various reasons, and because I really like Sleep No More, I think the future time zone trumps the series for me. Looking back, there’s not actually all that much happening in the past here. Interesting.
MOFFAT ERA: Series 10 (2017)
Episode 1 – The Pilot (Alien Spaceship/Earth) (PD/F)
Episode 2 – Smile (Earth/Gliese 581d) (1814 AD/F)
Episode 3 – Thin Ice (Earth) (1814 AD)
Episode 4 – Knock Knock (Earth) (PD)
Episode 5 – Oxygen (Earth/Space station) (PD/F)
Episode 6 – Extremis (Alien planet/Earth) (P/PD)
Episodes 7/8 – The Pyramid at the End of the World/The Lie of the Land (Earth) (P/PD)
Episode 9 – Empress of Mars (Earth/Mars) (1881 AD/PD)
Episode 10 – The Eaters of Light (Earth) (2nd Century)
Episodes 11/12 – World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls (Colony Ship) (F)
Christmas Special – Twice Upon a Time (Earth/Villengard) (1914 AD/1986 AD/PD/F)
Despite Series 9 having some cracking episodes, I find it extremely hard to pick between that and this as my favourite Capaldi series. But, actually, you know what? I love them all. I think there are some really great episodes that shine in each time zone throughout the series, but the Series 9 finale may be my favourite of any of the recent ones. I’ve got to say it’s certainly the future that takes my vote for Series 10.
CHIBNALL ERA: Series 11 (2018/2019)
Episode 1 – The Woman Who Fell to Earth (Deep Space/Earth) (PD/F)
Episode 2 – The Ghost Monument (Planet Desolation) (F)
Episode 3 – Rosa (Asteroid/Earth) (1955 AD/F)
Episode 4 – Arachnids in the UK (Earth) (PD)
Episode 5 – The Tsuranga Conundrum (The Tsuranga Spaceship) (F)
Episode 6 – Demons of the Punjab (Earth) (1947 AD/PD)
Episode 7 – Kerblam! (Kerblam! Warehouse) (F)
Episode 8 – The Witchfinders (Earth) (1612 AD)
Episode 9 – It Takes You Away (Earth/Pocket universe) (PD)
Episode 10 – The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos (Ranskoor Av Kolos) (F)
New Year Special – Resolution (Earth) (PD)
To give Chibnall some credit, he has a fairly even split of Earth and then locations that aren’t Earth, whilst also having a decent mix of time zones. That said, I’m swung more towards the episodes set in the past for Series 11.
CHIBNALL ERA: Series 12 (2020/2021)
Episodes 1/2 – Spyfall (Earth) (1834 AD/WW2/PD)
Episode 3 – Orphan 55 (Earth) (F)
Episode 4 – Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror (Earth) (1903 AD)
Episode 5 – Fugitive of the Judoon (Alien spaceship/Earth/Judoon ship) (PD)
Episode 6 – Praxeus (Earth) (PD)
Episode 7 – Can You Hear Me? (Alien spaceship/Earth) (1830 AD/PD)
Episode 8 – The Haunting of Villa Diodati (Earth) (1816)
Episodes 9/10 – Ascension of the Cybermen/The Timeless Children (Alien Planet/Cybership/Earth/Gallifrey) (20th Century/PD/F)
New Year Special – Revolution of the Daleks (Alien prison/Earth) (PD)
Come his second series, I realised my favourite episodes that Chibnall does often seem to be set around, or based upon, some historical event. No guesses as to which time zone gets my vote here then. There’s a heck of a lot of Earth featured in this series, but the shaking up of time zones I suppose alleviates that a bit. Plus, we do get to see Gallifrey again. For a bit.
CHIBNALL ERA: Series 13 (2021)
Episode 1 – The Halloween Apocalypse (Alien planet/Earth/Karvanista’s Ship/Space/Vinder’s ship) (PD)
Episode 2 – War of the Sontarans (Earth/Planet Time) (P/PD)
Episode 3 – Once, Upon Time (Alien Forest/Bel’s ship/Earth/Planet Time/Vinder’s planet) (P/PD)
Episode 4 – Village of the Angels (Earth/Planet Puzano) (1901 AD/1967 AD/PD)
Episode 5 – Survivors of the Flux (Bel’s ship/Division ship/Earth/Sontaran ship) (1904 AD/1958 AD/2017 AD/PD)
Episode 6 – The Vanquishers (Asteroid/Bel’s ship/Division ship/Earth/Passenger/Sontaran ship (PD)
No, it most certainly turns out that by the end of the events of Series 13 that my favourite Chibnall episodes are those set in the past. War of the Sontarans and Village of the Angels are two stand-out episodes of his run for me. I couldn’t quite tell you what the split of Earth to other planets is here, the series jumps all over the place, but Earth features heavily in each episode, so it’s still the dominating planet here.
CHIBNALL ERA: Series 13.5 (Final Specials) (2022)
New Year Special – Eve of the Daleks (Earth) (PD)
Special 1 – Legend of the Sea Devils (Earth) (1807 AD)
Special 2 – The Power of the Doctor (Alien planet/Bullet train in space/Cyber planet/Earth) (1916 AD/PD)
For me, I’d have said the past is my favourite time zone of these specials, but then again I really like Eve of the Daleks. Maybe it’s a tie between past and present-day. What I will say, even though Earth is the dominating planet again here (to be fair this is only three episodes), is fan-servicey as it may be, I think The Power of the Doctor is quite enjoyable if you just switch off and smile.
RTD 2 ERA: 60th Anniversary Specials (2023)
Special 1 – The Star Beast (Earth) (PD)
Special 2 – Wild Blue Yonder (Earth/Spaceship at the edge of the universe) (1666 AD/PD/F)
Special 3 – The Giggle (Earth) (1925 AD/PD)
Christmas Special – The Church on Ruby Road (Earth) (P/PD)
For his return, RTD seems to decide he’ll go back to his routes of having everything happen on Earth, except for one episode on a spaceship. Again, this is only a handful of episodes so that wasn’t meant to be super critical. What I will say is I really enjoy all these specials for different reasons, so each time zone gets the award as my favourite of the series (specials).
RTD 2 ERA: Series 14 (2024)
Episode 1 – Space babies (Baby Farm Space Station/Earth) (150 million BC/PD/21506 AD)
Episode 2 – The Devil’s Cord (Earth) (1925 AD/1963 AD/PD)
Episode 3 – Boom (5087 AD)
Episode 4 – 73 Yards (PD/NF/F)
Episode 5 – Dot and Bubble (Planet Finetime) (F)
Episode 6 – Rogue (Earth) (1813 AD)
Episode 7 – The Legend of Ruby Sunday (Earth) (2004 AD/PD)
Episode 8 – Empire of Death (Agua Santina/Earth) (P/PD/F)
Finally, for his first proper series back, RTD actually decides to treat us by pretty much alternating between Earth and alien planets. Three of my favourite episodes take place in the future though, so I have to give that my time zone award for Series 14 (but 73 Yards you are fantastic, too). Not a bad way to make a comeback I guess. Certainly, a divisive series for some apparently, but I enjoyed it- some brilliant high points.
There we have it then, as I went on writing this and tidying it all up I realised there is a fairly decent mix of past, present-day, and future stories littered throughout each series. Whilst I didn’t quite realise at first how dominant Earth is for many stories, I still think it gives testament to the writing that I didn’t notice all that much, particularly as a child. A good story is a good story, and with all of time to play around with, Doctor Who has even more longevity to it. Here’s to another 60 years!
Dualshocks and Daydreams 